Multi-homing in an extended bridge

Abstract

Disclosed are various embodiments for multi-homing in an extended bridge, including both multi-homing of port extenders and multi-homing of end stations. In various embodiments, a controlling bridge device receives a packet via an ingress virtual port and determines a destination virtual port link aggregation group based at least in part on a destination media access control (MAC) address of an end station in the packet. The controlling bridge device selects one of multiple egress virtual ports of the destination virtual port link aggregation group. The end station of the extended bridge is reachable through any of the egress virtual ports of the destination virtual port link aggregation group. The controlling bridge device forwards the packet through the selected egress virtual port, and the forwarded packet includes an identifier of a destination virtual port to which the end station is connected.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A bridge device, comprising:
 an ingress port; 
 an egress port; and 
 processing circuitry configured to
 receive a packet via the ingress port; 
 determine a destination virtual port link aggregation group according to a destination media access control (MAC) address of an end station identified in the packet; 
 determine an egress virtual port of the destination virtual port link aggregation group, a destination virtual port of a destination port extender being reachable through the egress virtual port and the destination port extender reachable through any of a plurality of intermediate port extenders; and 
 forward the packet through the egress virtual port when a source virtual port link aggregation group is not the destination virtual port link aggregation group. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The bridge device according to  claim 1 , wherein the forwarded packet includes an identifier that identifies the destination virtual port. 
     
     
       3. The bridge device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the packet includes a source identifier of the source virtual port link aggregation group, and 
 the source virtual port link aggregation group corresponds to an extended port. 
 
     
     
       4. The bridge device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the packet is received, via the ingress port, from a first intermediate port extender of the plurality of intermediate port extenders, and 
 the processing circuitry is further configured to receive another packet from the first intermediate port extender via the ingress port, the other received packet including a second identifier that identifies a different source virtual port of a different source port extender. 
 
     
     
       5. The bridge device according to  claim 2 , wherein the packet is forwarded to a first intermediate port extender of the plurality of intermediate port extenders, the first intermediate port extender being configured to forward the packet to the destination port extender based at least in part on the identifier of the destination virtual port. 
     
     
       6. The bridge device according to  claim 1 , wherein the packet is forwarded to the destination port extender having the destination virtual port. 
     
     
       7. The bridge device according to  claim 1 , wherein the packet further includes a selection identifier that identifies the selected one of the plurality of egress virtual ports. 
     
     
       8. The bridge device according to  claim 1 , wherein the packet further includes a source identifier that identifies the source virtual port link aggregation group. 
     
     
       9. The bridge device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to embed the identifier in the packet when the destination MAC address corresponds to a multicast group. 
     
     
       10. A method, comprising:
 receiving a packet via an ingress port; 
 determining, by processing circuitry, a destination virtual port link aggregation group according to a destination media access control (MAC) address of an end station identified in the packet; 
 determining, by the processing circuitry, an egress virtual port of the destination virtual port link aggregation group, a destination virtual port of a destination port extender being reachable through the egress virtual port and the destination port extender reachable through any of a plurality of intermediate port extenders; and 
 forwarding the packet through the egress virtual port when a source virtual port link aggregation group is not the destination virtual port link aggregation group. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the forwarded packet includes an identifier that identifies the destination virtual port. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the packet includes a source identifier of the source virtual port link aggregation group, and 
 the source virtual port link aggregation group corresponds to an extended port. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein
 the packet is received, via the ingress port, from a first intermediate port extender of the plurality of intermediate port extenders, and 
 the method further comprises receiving another packet from the first intermediate port extender via the ingress port, the other received packet including a second identifier that identifies a different source virtual port of a different source port extender. 
 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the packet is forwarded to a first intermediate port extender of the plurality of intermediate port extenders, the first intermediate port extender being configured to forward the packet to the destination port extender based at least in part on the identifier of the destination virtual port. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the packet is forwarded to the destination port extender having the destination virtual port. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the packet further includes a selection identifier that identifies the selected one of the plurality of egress virtual ports. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the packet further includes a source identifier that identifies the source virtual port link aggregation group. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising embedding, by the processing circuitry, the identifier in the packet when the destination MAC address corresponds to a multicast group. 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 10 , further comprising dropping the packet when the source virtual port link aggregation group is the destination virtual port link aggregation group. 
     
     
       20. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores computer executable instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of a bridge device, cause the bridge device to:
 receive a packet via an ingress port; 
 determine a destination virtual port link aggregation group according to a destination media access control (MAC) address of an end station identified in the packet; 
 determine an egress virtual port of the destination virtual port link aggregation group, a destination virtual port of a destination port extender being reachable through the egress virtual port and the destination port extender reachable through any of a plurality of intermediate port extenders; and 
 forward the packet through the egress virtual port when a source virtual port link aggregation group is not the destination virtual port link aggregation group.